Finders Keepers
Stories
56 Stories For Preaching
Neil loved his bicycle. It was a three-speed and quite
adequate for his needs. Of course, there were those hills where
he would have preferred a five-speed or a ten-speed or even a
mountain bike. But at these hills, such as Norway Hill, he would
get off and push his bike up to the top and then get on and whiz
down the road at speeds sometimes in excess of 30 miles an hour.
On this day he was pedaling along Princeton Parkway when he
spotted a wallet by the side of the road. Must have fallen out of
some guy's pocket when he was getting out of his car. Neil
dismounted, picked up the wallet and examined it. Wow! There was
money in it. A whole lot of money! He looked around. No one had
seen him pick it up. He slipped it into his pocket, turned his
bike around and pedaled home as fast as his churning legs could
make him go.
At his house he didn't bother to lean his bike neatly against
the garage wall as he usually did. He let it drop by the side of
the house and rushed upstairs to his room. Mom wasn't home.
Probably shopping. Dad was at work. Neil went to his room, closed
the door, opened up the wallet and emptied its contents on his
bed. There were three 50s, a whole bunch of 20s, several 10s and
fives and a few ones. This guy is rich! Neil separated the bills
and counted up his find. It came to $417. Neil gazed at his
treasure. Never had he seen that much money. Finders keepers,
losers weepers. That was a little rhyme he had learned when he
was "just a kid." It came back to him now. Finders keepers ....
He basked in the moment until a faraway voice asked him if the
money was rightfully his. Maybe there's some identification
in the wallet. I hope there isn't. There was. From the credit
cards, driver's license and business cards it was plain that the
wallet belonged to F. Arnold Huntington of 5373 Princeton
Parkway. That's right where I found it. He frowned.
This'll be my secret. I'll use the money to buy a 10-speed.
Maybe a mountain bike. I'll show Norway Hill what-for.
Then the distant voice cut in again. "You'll never get away
with it, Sonny Boy. Folks will wonder where you got all that
money." He had to think about that. No sweat. I'll just say I
found it and there was no I.D. in it. Then again the distant
voice chimed, "Yeah, right."
Neil heaved an enormous sigh. He stuffed the money back into
the wallet along with the identification and slowly made his way
to 5373 Princeton Parkway. He rang the bell and a lady answered.
"Does Mr. Huntington live here?" Neil asked.
"Yes. But he's at work just now."
"Is he your father?"
"No. He's my husband. Can I help you in some way?"
"Yes," Neil said, smiling brightly and handing the wallet to
the lady. "Look what I found!"
adequate for his needs. Of course, there were those hills where
he would have preferred a five-speed or a ten-speed or even a
mountain bike. But at these hills, such as Norway Hill, he would
get off and push his bike up to the top and then get on and whiz
down the road at speeds sometimes in excess of 30 miles an hour.
On this day he was pedaling along Princeton Parkway when he
spotted a wallet by the side of the road. Must have fallen out of
some guy's pocket when he was getting out of his car. Neil
dismounted, picked up the wallet and examined it. Wow! There was
money in it. A whole lot of money! He looked around. No one had
seen him pick it up. He slipped it into his pocket, turned his
bike around and pedaled home as fast as his churning legs could
make him go.
At his house he didn't bother to lean his bike neatly against
the garage wall as he usually did. He let it drop by the side of
the house and rushed upstairs to his room. Mom wasn't home.
Probably shopping. Dad was at work. Neil went to his room, closed
the door, opened up the wallet and emptied its contents on his
bed. There were three 50s, a whole bunch of 20s, several 10s and
fives and a few ones. This guy is rich! Neil separated the bills
and counted up his find. It came to $417. Neil gazed at his
treasure. Never had he seen that much money. Finders keepers,
losers weepers. That was a little rhyme he had learned when he
was "just a kid." It came back to him now. Finders keepers ....
He basked in the moment until a faraway voice asked him if the
money was rightfully his. Maybe there's some identification
in the wallet. I hope there isn't. There was. From the credit
cards, driver's license and business cards it was plain that the
wallet belonged to F. Arnold Huntington of 5373 Princeton
Parkway. That's right where I found it. He frowned.
This'll be my secret. I'll use the money to buy a 10-speed.
Maybe a mountain bike. I'll show Norway Hill what-for.
Then the distant voice cut in again. "You'll never get away
with it, Sonny Boy. Folks will wonder where you got all that
money." He had to think about that. No sweat. I'll just say I
found it and there was no I.D. in it. Then again the distant
voice chimed, "Yeah, right."
Neil heaved an enormous sigh. He stuffed the money back into
the wallet along with the identification and slowly made his way
to 5373 Princeton Parkway. He rang the bell and a lady answered.
"Does Mr. Huntington live here?" Neil asked.
"Yes. But he's at work just now."
"Is he your father?"
"No. He's my husband. Can I help you in some way?"
"Yes," Neil said, smiling brightly and handing the wallet to
the lady. "Look what I found!"
